Lace-locking means for articles of personal wear



E. J. TRIAY, n1. LACE LOCKING MEANS FOR ARTICLES OF PERSONAL WEAR.

' I I APPLICATION FILED IAN- 14. 1922- Patented Nov. 7, 1922* Patented Nov. Y, 1922.

warren EDWARD TBIAY, $3., OF JACKSONVILI' E, FLORIDA.

Application filed January 14, 1922. Serial No. 529,242.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. TRXAY, J12, a citizen of the United States, a resident of Jacksonville, in the county of Duval and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lace-Locking Means for Articles of Personal Wear, ot which the following isa specification.

In many articles of personal wear, such as shoes, corsets and the like, including surgical bandages, it is frequently necessary, or desirable, to bring the lacing edges closer together in certain zones than in other zones.

It has been the custom, in connection with corsets, for the wearer to tie knots in the lacing string so to hold the lacing edges at a. predetermined juxtaposition so that; a given pressure or shape ismaintained" within that zone irrespective oi the other zones of the lacing edges.

In the case ofshoes equipped with my invention, the use of arch supports and the like may be eliminated inasmuch as the shoe may be drawn to a snug fit around the foot and this fit maintained at all times while the shoe is on the foot; while the lacing in other zones may be comparatively loose.

Frequently in the case of surgical bandages, it is desirable to have certain zones of thebandage much tighter than other zones.

This can be readily and efficiently 21.000111 plished by my invention.

My invention may be efliciently used in connection with many other articles.

The object of my invention is to provide a lacing edge with means whereby said edge can be drawn much tighter in certain zones than in others without affecting the pliability of adjacent edges in other zones in the same article.

My invention consists of a lacing edge provided throughout its entirelength or in predetermined zones with means for locking the lacing string against movement after said string is once adjusted in a given lacing eyelet.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a detailed view of a portion of a shoe showing my invention applied thereto Fig. 2 is a similar view of a corset;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of Figure l;

Fig. l is a top plan view of one of the locking eyelets.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the eyelet enibodied in my invention.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of Figure 5.

7 is a vertical transverse section of Figure 5. r

i Fig. 8 is a rear elevation of Figure 5.

While I have selected certain articles of wearing apparel for the purpose of illusirating my invention, it will, of course, be understood that my invention is susceptible o1? eliicient use with many other articles-0t personal wear as well as surgical bandages. Reference numeral 1 is a shoe having the lacing edge 2 provided with eyelets. The eyelets shown in Fig. l consist of the con struction shown in Figs. 4, and 5 to 8.

in Fig. 4 the eyelet 3 comprises a main body having an angular groove t within which the material oi the lacing edge is adapted to he clamped.

The eyelet 3 provided with a lacing string lock offset, which ofiset, asshown in Fig. 4i, is substantially V-shaped in construction, so that when a lacing string is pulled firmly within the lock offset 5, the lacing string 6 is crowded into the lock off set and wedged therein against sliding movement through the eyelet.

In numerous instances, it is necessary, or desirable, to draw the edges of the lacing strips 2 very closely together in the proximity of the instep of the toot, and maintain them in that position while the shoe is in use. with the present construction of eyelet provided in shoes, and in the effort to do it the shoe is uncomfortably tightly laced around other portions of the foot and ankle, whereas by the use of my invention the lacing edge 2 may he brought closely together at the lower zone of the lacing edges and when in that position the lacing string 6 is tightly wedged within the locking offset 5 of the eyelet 3, and locked against relative movement through the eyelet; whereby a predetermined position of proximity of the lacing edges within that or any other zone is maintained. This possible adjustment of the lacing edges enables one to draw the shoe snugly around the foot, thereby supporting the foot and making it possible for one to discard the use of the usual so-called arch supports, because the shoe can thus be maintained in this predetermined close fit as a support for the arch of the foot.

To meet the wishes of those who may dcsire to use what is known as hook eyelets for shoes, I have designed the construction of eye- It is impossible to do this let shown in Figures 5 to 8, both inclusive; and in this construction the eyelet is pro-- vided with the base 7 having an angular groove 8, Within which the material of the shoe is clamped and a hook 9 which may be provided with a depending wedging 10, which functions like the wedging oliset 5 of the eyelet 3.

This locking edge 10 may be formed by depressing the material of the hook 9 as clearly shown in Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be noted that I have shown a corset provided with my improved eyelets 3 and the usual round eyelet 11 so that the lacing edges of the corset provided with the eyelets it may adjusted to their desired juxtaposition, and the lace 12 may be firmly locked within the locking recess 5 of the eyelet 3, thereby maintaining the adjusted relative position of the lacing edges while the lace 12 may be free to move through the eyelets 11 to accommodate body movements, but, at the same time, the lace in the eyelet 3 is held against movement relative to the eyelet.

What I claim is:

1. In an article of personal vvear, having free edges adapted to be secured together, of a series of eyelets arranged along said free edges at predetermined intervals, said eyelets each having a locking offset at one side, positionedbetween said edge and the other side of the eyelet; said offset constructed to receive and lock a lacing string against movement after the proper tension has been placed on the string to hold the said free edges at the desired distance apart in any selected zone throughout the length of the said free edges.

2. In an article of personal wear having free edges adapted to be secured in proximity to each other, of a series of eyelets arranged along said free edges, said eyelets each having a lace locking member at one side positionedtnear the said free edges; said offset being constructed to receive and look a lacing string against movement after the desired tension has been placed on the string to hold the said tree edges at the desired distance apart in any selected zone at intervals or throughout'the length of the said free edges.

3. In an article of personal wear having free edges adapted to be secured in proximity to each other, of a series of round eyelets arranged along said free edges in groups, and a series of eyelets also arranged along said free edge and having a lace lock-v ing member whereby the desired tension may be placed upon and retained by the lacing string to hold the tree edges at the desired distance apart in selected Zones at intervals throughout the length of said free edges. I

In vtestimony whereof I a'fiiX my signature.

EDWVARD J. TRIAY, JR. 

